I was terrified with my procedure, especially due to all the $ I was spending. I did a lot if research, praying and I did it. My Dr did a great job, but he lacks bed side matters . I'm on day 1 and I see a huge difference. I dont feel pain just sore and dizzy , so make sure you take your meds. I will update weekly. Thanks Updated on 2 May 2021: This is my 3rd week. A few things they never mentioned to me , please het massage done asap.. my belly was hard as a rock and now i have to do a treatment to make sure it actually gets to the point i want it to be. Im not happy with my results 100% for the money i spend i was expecting better results.
Dr. Walek was a complete professional, my only regret was not having surgery sooner. He was honest and realistic on what to expect. I woke up to lovely proportionally appropriate breast. I can't wait to see them in the months to come as my swelling subsides. He went above and beyond, and it was obvious that he took his time to make me look an feel my best . My sincerest thank you!
Dr.Walek is awesome. He did my implants 2 times over the past 27 yrs. He did a brilliant.job each time. True professional who REALLY cares and his work PROVES it. I knew he'd do a.great job as he.did two other surgeries prior. I now want to get Rhinoplasty,as I know he will be just as wonderful a 4th time!!
Revision is done! I opted not to have a list due to the scarring. I am happy with my results but, I'm suffering from Boob Greed already! I wish I had gone bigger. It's only been one week and aware I'm being over anxious. My surgeon De. Walek was phenomenal! The staff at the hospital was very attentive and made sure I was well looked after. I am going to wait to see what I look like at month 3 but an upgrade in cc's may be in my future!Updated on 26 Jun 2016: Updated on 2 Jul 2016: Hi Ladies, First I just want to say how thankful I am for this website and all of the comments and pic from you lovely ladies! So.....It been s since by b/a 550+ under the muscle without a lift. My surgeon suggested a donut lift and to think about it after the implants have settled in. I don't know if its boob greed or what but I feel like a want them bigger and more perky, may even consider bigger implants or HP at my next consult at my next f/u which will be the 1 month PO visit. I am totally confused!!! I also have been only in the surgical bra so don't really know what they will look like in clothes. I've posted a few pics for you lovely ladies to take a peek. Any feedback will be most helpful! I xoUpdated on 2 Jul 2016: Hi Ladies, First I have say THANK YOU FOR THIS WEB PAGE AND ALL YOU LOVELY LADIES!!! Its been a great resource! So it has been 2 weeks since my b/a and am now wondering if I should consider a donut lift which my surgeon suggested. I'm wondering if I should have gotten HP too, I also have only been in my surgical bra for 2 weeks and haven't tried on any actualy bras so not sure what my result will be. Not sure if this is just boob greed REALLY setting in! I should note I did want side boob and cleavage more than projection which is why I chose 550 MP+. Any answers would be most helpful & appreciated!!! thank you xo!!!
I lost a significant amount of weight and had a badly healed c-section scar. Dr. Thomas Walek performed my tummy tuck in 2014 at Kent Hospital and it went perfectly. About two weeks ago, he performed my lower body lift, and I love the results! I feel so much more comfortable with my body and appearance. I also have enjoyed every interaction with Karen. She is wonderfully supportive and efficient. The surgeries have been two of the best decisions of my life.
After my second baby, my belly got so big and even looked like I had a hernia. I was so tired of lying in the bed and feeling like my belly took up more space on the bed than the rest of my body. In addition, I found myself tucking my belly in my pants; and when I would looked in the mirror, I looked like a kangaroo!!!So, I searched the "Realself" website for doctors near me. I sent emails to a few companies and no one responded. I began making phone calls and half of them didn't answer, others didn't want to render any pricing information, which made me a bit skeptical... Nevertheless, I called Dr, Thomas Walek's office. The receptionist answered promptly, answered all my questions and I had a consultation appt 4 days later (6/27/14). At the consultation, I attempted to tell Dr. Walek what I wanted done. Yes, I felt he ignored most of my requests. Anyway, I decided to go with Dr. Walek based on his reviews.Surgery day, 7/2/14. Everything went great!! All professionals involved in my care conducted themselves accordingly. 7/16/14, I see a dramatic difference and I am loving it. According to what I'm seeing in the mirror, Dr, Walek put some work in!!! Rightfully, my stomach needed a full tummy tuck and I just got liposuction. My stomach almost looks like I had a tummy tuck. And he went beyond the basics. He even contoured my buttocks. This leads me to believe he love his job and very much takes pride in his work. Well, after doing some research, I came to understand that, by law, there's a maximum amount of fat that can be removed in one session, and he knew that most of that amount would be removed from my tummy area. This clarified that he wasn't ignoring my requests. I was in his best interest!!!Thanks.
So far I have had my consultation. I feel that it went as expected. I had already done a lot of research on my own and read reviews on realself.com. I was expecting to do my upper and lower abs and back bra roll but was persuaded to add my waist to the mix because it will help give me a better shape. I am very petite (5 feet) but have always been chubby/overweight despite being on sports teams and living with a nutritionist. I just can't win! I am hoping that this will help flatten me out and I will of course continue to work out and eat well. I have my pre-op appt on Saturday and am scheduled for surgery on April 11th. I will add another update and pre-op pictures on Saturday or Sunday! I'm so excited to be doing this and just in time for graduation from grad school in May when my family will be flying in from across the country! Updated on 5 Apr 2014: Unfortunately I came down with the plague (cough and strep throat) so I had to postpone my pre-op appointment until Wednesday morning. Luckily the lady on the phone didn't seem to think they would need to reschedule my actual appointment for surgery (on April 11). I also have 10 days worth of antibiotics now so I wonder if I won't need to get more...I have a week to go now so I'm going to make sure not to take an medication (like ibuprofen) or drink alcohol (I don't smoke so that's not a problem). I will also start to chug a lot more water than I normally drink! I want this to all go smoothly! Updated on 9 Apr 2014: The Sonobello staff in Boston/Woburn is fantastic. They were so friendly and made me feel really comfortable. The doctor looked me over and told me what expectations would be realistic. He said that he would be able to do a lot of de-bulking and that liposuction will help a lot with contouring. He did express some concern about some extra skin but said that because I'm young it may not be a problem. I'm not expecting a bikini body necessarily so I'm still feeling okay with it. He also gave me my prescriptions and the arnica for bruising/swelling. I will start taking those today and the anitbiotics tomorrow. I'm already on antibiotics for the strep throat but he said I can just switch over. I will show up for my appointment Friday at noon. I promise I will post before pictures tomorrow or Friday morning at the latest. I'm trying to get a roommate to take them so they look better. I'm so excited for Friday! Updated on 10 Apr 2014: I'm really excited and kinda nervous for tomorrow. I started taking my antibiotics today and started the Arnicare yesterday (they are small pellets that you place under your tongue and they taste kinda sugary). I ran out of batteries for my camera but just bought some more on my way to work. I think I have everything that I need for tomorrow except for the pads for leaking. I will have my roommate with me for 24 hours after surgery but I'm hoping I will be able to get to the bathroom/shower on my own. Has anybody been able to do this or has everyone pretty much needed help? I know she will help me if I need it. Updated on 10 Apr 2014: I am 5 feet tall, waist=35in, widest part of my hips=45in. Ugh I'm tired of feeling terrible about my body. Updated on 12 Apr 2014: Okay, I went in for my appointment yesterday around noon. The first thing they did was take a urine test, which was kinda awkward cause I had to take out the open cup (no lid). I sat in a "relaxation room" next where I changed and put on surgical underwear and a bra, as well as compression stockings and no slip socks. My nurse took front, side, and back pictures and then put a hypodermic needle in a vein in my hand just for emergencies. The doctor then came in and marked me up. When he finished I took my medicine "cocktail" and waited 30 mins to kick in. They then helped me up and brought me into the next room which was the operating room. I took off my gown and lied down on my stomach. The incision marks were just quick stings and then put in the numbing fluid. The rest is kinda hazy but I know he put in the saline fluid and used a long, skinny rod to help (break up the fat?) and suck it out. I could easily see two jars fill up with yellow fat. While the whole experience was uncomfortable I would definitely classify it as less painful than getting a large tattoo without pain meds. Afterwards my skin felt doughy and super strange. I couldn't wait for them to get the compression garment on me. rest later...falling asleep Updated on 12 Apr 2014: After getting in the compression garments plus the abdominal binder they rolled me out to my roommate's car. I don't remember much from there except crying for no particular reason, getting home, and going to bed. I slept until 8pm for meds and again at 12 am for meds. My roommate helped me each time but I threw up at around midnight. I woke up again at 4am and went to the bathroom on my own. I was fine but had some trouble bleeding all over the bathroom floor, which I cleaned up. I was in a lot more pain than day 2. I fell asleep instantly after all that and did not eat anything since Friday morning before the operation. Updated on 12 Apr 2014: I woke up feeling a lot more functional but had the worst pain trying to get in and out of bed. Walking around feels pretty good. I have been sleeping a lot today. I tried to eat some soup earlier but threw it up. I just recently ate some crackers and cheese and that seems to be staying down. I'm also drinking some fruity tea without caffeine and zero calorie Powerade. I changed my pads last night and seemed to have stopped leaking this afternoon. Yay! I have not really seen myself without the garment and binder on but I can tell my hips are smaller/less bulkier. I will post a pic tomorrow or tonight when I decided to hit the shower. I read some complaints about their garment getting soaked but mine feels okay. I can tell there are stains on my binder though. It will be nice to throw that away in 2 more days. I can also take my compression stockings off right about now. Oh and I wanted to mention the compression garment(s). I have a black bottom with a zipper on the side and a top with 3/4 length sleeves that has hooks down the middle. I feel that the top may be hard to wear with most clothes and it kinda hurts where the top meets the bottom. I wish is was a one piece without sleeves but I guess I will just have to make it 10 days. Oh and as a heads up, you can really only sleep on your back! Updated on 12 Apr 2014: Updated on 12 Apr 2014: I look better than I thought I would. And only day 2! I'm wearing spanx like stuff while I'm waiting for my day 1 garment to dry. Updated on 12 Apr 2014: Updated on 14 Apr 2014: Still very sore but my spirits are up. I walked in to work today (about 20 mins). I feel that the CG are making it a little hard to breathe but it's not too bad. I'm done taking the pain meds and switching over to motrin. My roommate commented that my bruising is super minimal and I had no problem with the incision sites passed the first 24 hours which was a relief. I did wake up in pain last night but I think that was because I found myself trying to sleep on my side. I have some questions about the CG. Should I be wearing them for 24 hours for the first 10 days or 12? And I was told to not wear tight clothes that will leave indentations but what if my CG leave indentations? Anybody know? Thanks everyone, I will keep posting updates and pictures. Updated on 15 Apr 2014: I took more pictures but they really don't look any different from Day 2 so I will wait until I've hit one week, or on Sat when I have my post-op appointment, to post more. I slept without the CG last night and kind of wish I didn't. I feel like I hurt more today than I did yesterday. Maybe I over did it with the walking yesterday. I've noticed feeling tired a lot quicker in the day which is probably pretty normal. My roommates have mentioned that I look a lot less bulky and one of them complimented my waist today! I'm wearing a long skirt with a shirt tucked in. Plan on hearing from me sometime on Saturday! Updated on 18 Apr 2014: So today is the first day I'm not feeling quite as sore. Still super sore but I think if I dropped a pencil I could bend over and pick it up. My bruises are hitting that yellow/purple stage. My garment also feels a bit more comfortable today. I did receive my second one in the mail but am not supposed to switch til Day 10. I did notice that it is a size larger. Is that supposed to be right? I'll definitely ask during my check-up tomorrow. I will post pic updates tomorrow but wanted to say that I see a major difference in my waistline and hips but not so much in my back and lower abdomen (I'm sure due to swelling). I hope you are all doing well! Updated on 20 Apr 2014: Yesterday I went in for my one week post-op appointment. Aside from waiting 45 mins in the waiting room, it went pretty well. I saw a nurse who took pictures and said that it looked like I was healing well. She reminded me to exercise as much as I feel able to. I've been walking a lot in the last week but I don't feel like I can jog/run quite yet. Anything that causes jiggling still hurts. My bruises are gone for the most part and I've pretty much stopped taking pain meds (even over the counter). I scheduled an appointment for a Venus freeze session (which was included in my "package" for one month from now and my three month appointment will be in July. I was also given Vivite Daily Firming Cream and an Obagi cream for scars (which I was told not NOT start using until my 3 month appointment because if I use it too soon it could cause my incision sites to become discolored). Also, I've begun noticing the lumps/hard spots. The nurse just said to massage them with the firming cream and they should go away eventually. One week measurements: waist= 33in and hips are 43in. 2 inches lost in one week! Updated on 23 Apr 2014: It's beige with suspenders, allows me to wear my own bra, and has "legs" that go down to my knees. It is SO much more comfortable but I really hate that the legs are so long. You can see them in pretty much all of my dresses and shorts would be impossible. I tried rolling them up but that only works for 2 minutes. I'm thinking of cutting them but am worried I will ruin it. I also ordered another Marena garment from Amazon that does not have legs. I want to be able to wear both anyway since this will be my life for three months (right during the summer!) Any ideas? Also, I beginning to notice bigger changes for the better in how I look so I will be posting more pics soon! I've just been forgetting in the morning/running out the door for work. I have a lot of hard spots but I'm just trying to massage them when I can. I just saw a friend I hadn't seen since last August and he said he couldn't tell I'd had anything done...which is good because I had gained 20 pounds since I had last seen him!! I was also wondering if any of you have had to deal with negative reactions from judgey people. I've recently found out that a lot of people think I did it because of a recent break up but I had the appointment scheduled before the break up ever happened... Updated on 24 Apr 2014: Updated on 29 Apr 2014: I've noticed some more of the swelling go down in the "pooch" area. It's almost looking pretty flat which is good but I've noticed some loose looking skin at the bottom. I've been applying firming cream twice a day so hopefully that helps. I will post pictures closer to Friday so I can hit the three week mark.
Hi, had the procedure done yesterday at 2pm. I showed up at 1pm as instructed. I got a friendly greeting and was asked if I wanted anything to drink and declined because I was already water logged due to all the water I have been drinking to make sure I was adequately hydrated. I got my upper and lower abdomen as well as my waist (love handles) done. I will admit I was nervous about the procedure, I always have had an issue with needles. Well, I was brought into an exam room by Jillian, she took my blood pressure and got me ready, handing me shorts and a Johnny. I told Jillian I was nervous and she made me very comfortable with smile and assurance that I had nothing to worry about. When it time she gave me the necessary medications too. The doctor came in to talk to me and draw lines in the area to be worked on and ask if I had any questions. The doctor also spent some time with small talk which I thought was nice. I was brought into the operating room and it was not long before things got started, I can tell you that everything I was worried about was quickly dismissed. I felt no pain, other than a little sting now and then. I was very happy with the doctor as once he started the lipo process he kept going at a nice pace until it was done. I only mentioned something when I felt a bit of pain and he addressed it quickly both times. , Updated on 27 Jan 2014: Very uncomfortable moving around. On day two (Saturday) after the surgery I was at my sisters house as she was the one taking care of me. She made sure I took medication and checked on bandages and helped make the garment changes. I did very little draining. I was surprised because I read that sometimes there was a lot. I had extra old towels on hand just in case and did not need any of them. My sister had purchased the poise maxi pads and directed in the instructions and we did use them but if I had to do it all over again; with the "little" draining that I did I would have been better off with some type of panty shield instead (my sisters recommendation). The Bulkiness of the Maxi Pads did cause a little extra discomfort. The other things that surprised me was on day two I went to urinate and noticed my penis was very swollen, kind of alarming to look down and NOT see what you usually see. I was concerned and called the doctor / Nurse I was quickly told that this was normal and it has come down to almost normal size (Damn). I woke up at 3:30 this morning (Monday)and was in pain and since I was wearing the binder longer than necessary I removed it but was still very sore from sleeping. Once I got up and started moving around things felt a little less uncomfortable. I did stop taking the pain meds on Sunday morning because I really do not like taking medication unless really necessary, I can handle being uncomfortable for a while. I am very constipated from the medications and surgery and have not had a bowel movement since Friday, it is now Monday. I am going to the pharmacy to pick up a stool softener and take in some fiber. Hopefully I will have a BM today before the abdominal pains get really bad. Updated on 28 Jan 2014: Pain has subsided a lot now. Very little discomfort except upon waking up in the morning. I am guess all of the NON movement during the night causes stiffness. Once I get up and start moving around things get so much better. Drinking a lot of water and that seems to help also. I never had to get he stool softener because just before I was going to go get it, I ended up in the rest room and finally had a BM. I never knew I could be so happy to have a BM. I am taking fiber supplements (Fiber Con) and again..drinking plenty of water. I have no bruising at all and when I asked the nurse she told me that every is different and I may just one of those people that dont get the bruising and very little drainage.. All in all, so far I am very pleased I had this done. Just have to wait and see the end results when the swelling is gone. Good Luck if you decide to do this and I would definitely recommend the Sono Bello in Woburn, ma
I got lipo on my legs, performed by Dr. Walek, and I am very pleased. It has only been 1 week, and the results are great! I must say that I was already at the weight I want to be. I just was getting rid of saddlebags that would not leave by diet and exercise alone. Have realistic expectations. Surgery doesn't cure a lifetime of insecurity. I highly recommend him.
I have a consultation today @ Sono Bello in Woburn, MA. I'm interested to hear what they have to say. I think it's interesting that I'm not meeting with a surgeon, but with a sales-type person. I have struggled with weight all of my life, but even more after puberty. I have PCOS, which causes hormonal imbalance. I eat well just to stay at the weight I am at, which is considered obese by BMI guidelines, but im also a bigger "person;" I have very wide hips, slightly broader shoulders, and a bigger ribcage. Even when i was a healthy child, I weighed heavy on the scale. I wear a size 12-14 pants. I don't hate my body, I like that I am very curvy, but I think i would be more comfortable, and would have more lothing options if i had a smaller abdomen and smaller love handles. After the consultation today I will let you know the areas I am choosing to get altered. I am fairly certain I will get upper and lower abs and flanks. Not sure if i should get the bra roll, as this is a more recent development. I wonder If i could work that off at the gym. My family and boyfriend are supportive, but I can't help but feel a little vain having this procedure done. I do love my body, and I know there is more to life than being skinny. I just want to know what its like to have fun shopping for clothes, and my tax returns are my only chance to finance this. I hope I have a successful journey. Updated on 14 Mar 2013: I had my consultation. They quoted me at around 1650 per area and seperated the abdomen into two prices, for upper and lower. The target areas I chose are the upper and lower abdomen, and the waist/flanks. I will pay close to 6,000 for this procedure. This is because my BMI is between 28 - 32. The higher your BMI, the higher the price. Everything was included in the quote, in regards to follow ups, etc; except for the second compression garment which is between 80 - 100 bucks. Anyways, The rep was really nice and informative. i put down 2k from a bonus at work and got an appointment for NEXT FRIDAY! I have a lot of instructions to familiarize myself with. I have restrictions as well. My pre-op is 03/19. Can't wait to have this done. I have very high hopes. Updated on 19 Mar 2013: My pre-op changed to tomorrow because of the blizzard. I have been drinking lots of water and electrolytes, and no alcohol since Friday. I went and bought some things they said I would need postop; towels, maxipads for oozing, arnica pills for bruising, warm socks for surgery; antibacterial body wash for the night before and morning of surgery; drawstring pants for recovery, stool softener for opiate pain meds; and my own idea, probiotics for being on antibiotics. i am wearing a zip-front sweatshirt and drawstring pants to surgery. Cant wait to get this done. Updated on 25 Mar 2013: I had my procedure done Friday morning. The pills they gave me helped me relax and I did not freak out [which is kind of saying a lot for me, haha]. I was awake the whole time, and when i felt pain it reminded me of getting a tattoo. When i told the doctor i was in pain he filled the areas with more lidocaine and the next time it wasnt so sensitive. He removed 4 lites of fat, which i hear is about 9 lbs. I got wrapped up after in my compression garment and went home. I oozed so much which was annoying because i was sore and i didnt want to keep chaning my clothes. my advise is to wear just the compression carment and a little bra/cami, and just swaddle up in a big sheet to ooze out, protecting your bed with towels and a garbage bag underneath. i stopped bleeding after 24 hours, when i was taking a shower. i was really swollen for two days, but on Sunday, i felt better and i had lost alot of bloat. I urinated a lot, which i read is my body processing the tumescent fluid. today im in regular clothes walking around doing light chores. I feel much better when my compression garment is on. Its Monday now and i Have my first apt. on saturday. I was spilling out of my compression garment on friday, and today its so loose, i think i need another. When i get my other one in the mail i'm going to ask if i can wear it. i cant tell a difference in my abdomen, but my boyfriend and mom said that my love handles are pretty much GONE. im excited. I know I need to be patient. So far it has been worth it :) Updated on 26 Aug 2015: I got laser lipo and it worked out well. I don't have that loose pouch of fat that was sagging at my lower abdomen. Clothes fit better and I have a better silhouette. It's definitely not a DRASTIC change, but for how much I spent, I am satisfied with the results.
There are a lot of things that must be done to get an excellent result in Abdominoplasty. It is easy to criticize based on photos. Talk to your surgeon and communicate your concerns. He did the surgery and knows best what was done. If you are still not satisfied get a second opinion once you are healed. Revisions are never easy. Best to have a good discussion with your surgeon pre procedure about expectations.
What is offered as abdominoplasty varies widely. To get consistent high quality results is very difficult.The skill and experience of the surgeon is key. The procedure must be individualized. No two people are exactly the same. Be sure to discuss what you expect from the procedure with your surgeon. Choose carefully. Poor results are difficult to fix.
While it may seem attractive to travel for cosmetic procedures one must realize that cosmetic surgery is real surgery. Often a minor problem can really develop into a major complication. The experience of your surgeon can make the difference. The actual surgery is only part of the package. Good post operative care is equally as important.Many plastic surgeons may be reluctant to accept a patient with a surgical complication especially if the surgery has been done out of the country and there is no relationship the the operating surgeon. Some wound care centers will accept and treat wound problems but this is another level of care and is not a substitute for proper post operative care for cosmetic procedures.
Often I find it possible to get great results with implants sub glandular. It can be possible to get a good shape and fill a large skin envelope w/o mastopexy. The limitation is often the patients' tolerance of a larger implant. Shape soon pos op is more a feature of the pocket dissection and implant projection. Placing implants beneath the muscle limits their mobility and frequently results in a double bubble or Snoopy appearance if there is too much droop.There are a lot of variables. Talk to your surgeon about your concerns. Often aesthetic goals vary. Something acceptable to one person may not be to another. That is why it is so important to discuss these goals before surgery.
Some surgeons recommend anesthesia based on the facility they have available. Personally, while I have dome many liposuction procedures under tumescent I would never recommend an an abdominoplasty be done that way.Abdominoplasty means different things to different people.what is needed ranges from a small skin resection to a major abdominal wall reconstruction. As I have gained experience I have found that in order to get consistently good results with abdominoplasty many factors need to be taken into account. It is a more complex operation than some would appreciate. Abdominoplasty is a big operation. There are risks of serious complications. Often a poor result is very difficult to revise. Know what you want, discuss the procedure with your surgeon and don't skimp on the facility or anesthesia to make a price point.
